Main-line sounder.



PATENTED NOV. 20, 1906.

J. H. KIDNY. MAIN LINE sounmm.

APPLIOATIOF III-E13 FEB. 2. 1906.

2 SHEETS-FERRET 1- & E S m. w W

In: NORRI: PITIRS cm. \vlsnma'ron, n. c.

No. 836,508. .PATENTED N-OV. 20,1906. J. H. KIDNY. MAIN LINE'SOUNDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

t omen PETER; cm, wAsnmumN, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAIN-LINE S OUNDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 20, 1906.

Application file'd February 2, 1906. Serial No. 299,177.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH H. KinNY,a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lisle, in the county of Cass and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Main-Line Sounder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to telegraphy, my more particular object being to produce a type of sounder adapted for use directly upon the main line and taking the place ofboth rclay and local circuit.

To this end my invention relates to improvements in construction whereby comparatively delicate currents upon the main line may cause the instrument to produce comparatively loud sounds.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the mainline sounder complete. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section upon the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the drection of the arrow and showing the drum, the magnet-controlled hammer for striking the same, and the adjusting mechanism for the drumhead. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the sounder on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1, showing the drumhead, the 1uagnet-controlled hammer for striking the same, and the adjustable spring mechanism for controlling the retractile tension of the hammer; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section upon the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow and showing more particularly the mountings for the drum.

The base of the sounder is shown at 5 and is supported upon conical-headed tacks 6, which rest upon a table or other appropriate surface. Extending upwardly from the base 5 and connected rigidly to the same by means of a screw 9 is a post 8. Another post 10 is connected with the base 5 by means of a screw 11. The magnets are shown at 12 and are provided with cores 12 and with a backpiece 13, these parts being of the construction usually found in relays. An adjustingscrew 14 is threaded through the post 10 and is provided with a reducedportion 15, which passes through the back-piece 13. The screw 14 is further provided with a milled head 16, which may be turned for the purpose of ad justing the back-piece 13 and the magnets 12. A rocking armature is shown at 17 and is made, preferably, of soft iron. This armature is pivoted upon and adjustable by means of screws 18, mounted in lugs 19, the latter being integral with a plate 19, which is secured to the base 5. A hammer 20, having, preferably, the form of an aluminium bar, is secured by means of screws 21 to the armature 17. This hammer is provided with a boss 22, passing entirely through the upper end of the hammer, this boss being of hardened metal.

Mounted upon the posts 8 and 10 is a plate 23, and supported upon this plate is a sounding-box 24, provided at its front and back with circular openings-25. A drum 26 of cylindrical form is made of sheet metal and is provided with a drumhead 26*, also of sheet metal, this drumhead having a crimped flange 26 fitting neatly over and soldered upon one end of the drum 26, as indicated more particularly in Fig. 3. Brackets 27 are provided with feet 27 which have a curvature analogous to that of the drum 26, and also with plates 27 fitting against the adjacent faces of the box 24. These brackets support the drum 26 and are in turn supported by the box 24. The arrangement is such that the drum is supported only at two points and in such manner as to have a maximum of freedom in making its vibrations. A yoke 28 is secured by means of screws 28 upon the box 24 and partially encircles the upper end. of the hammer 20. An anvil 29, con sisting, preferably, of a bit of brass, is made of lenticular form and is soldered centrally upon the drumhead 26 in such position as to be engaged by the boss 22 when the hammer 20 is drawn by the magnets 12. An adjusting-screw 30 is provided with a milled head 32 and passes through the yoke 28. This screw is locked by means of a nut 31, as indicated in Fig. 2. A boss 33 is secured by means of a screw 34 upon the yoke 28, so as to project therefrom toward the drumhead 26*. This boss 33 carries a pin 35, upon one end of which is mounted a sleeve 36. Through this sleeve passes a spring-bow 37, the lower end of which is connected by a spiral spring 38 with a rigid fastening 39. Another spiral spring 40 is connected with the upper end of the spring-bow 37 and is also connected with a flexible cord 41. This cord is partially wound around a key 42, which is provided with a reduced ortion 42? and is provided with a milled ead 43. This key is supported upon a post 44. By turning the mi ed head 43 the springs 38 and 40 are tightened or relaxed, as the case may be, and as the spring-bow 37 bends to a greater or lesser extent the yoke 28, which is resilient to some extent, may be tensioned at will.

screws 32 and 45 the apparatus may be brought into such condition that the turning of the milled head 43 will within certain limits determine the tension of the drumhead 26 The bindingposts are shown at 49 50, and the wire leading from these binding posts to the magnet 12 are shown at 51. A cylindrical sleeve 52 is mounted rigidly upon the yoke 28 and loosely encircles the dolly 47. The purpose of this sleeve is merely to protect the dolly and its accompanying parts. 1

My invention is used as follows The upper end of the drum 26 is preferably turned to ward the operator, though this is not necessary. The milled head 43 being turned, as above described, until the spring mechanism receives the proper tension, the apparatus is ready for use. The magnets 12 being energized electrically from the main line, attract the armature 17 and cause the hammer to strike the anvil, so as to cause the drumhead 26 to vibrate. As soon as the armature is released by the stoppage of the current the spring mechanism retracts the same. The outer end of the boss 22 thereupon strikes the inner end of the screw 30, and the vibration thus set up passes through a part of the yoke 28 and through the dolly 47 to the drumhead 26 causing the latter to sound, but in such a manner that the effect is perceptibly different from that resulting from the original or forward stroke of the hammer 20. In other words, the forward stroke of the hammer is received directly upon the drum,

while the so-called back stroke is received indirectly upon thesame. This enables the operator to readily distinguish between two kinds of strokes made by the hammer and corresponding respectively to the so-called downstroke and upstroke Owing to the extreme sensitiveness of the apparatus, it has all of the loudness and clearness of a sounder and all of the delicacy of a relay. The movement made by the hammer need not be very great. In fact, it may be almost imperceptible to the eye. So, also, if desired, the hammer can be made very light. The reason why this can be done without impairing the sound is that the sound is virtually increased by the use of the drumhead 26 K,

I do not limit myself to the exact construction above described, as various changes may be made in the same without departingfrom the spirit of my invention. While I show a drum, I do not limit myself thereby, as sonorous bodies of other kinds may be employed instead.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination of a box provided with apertures, a drum mounted within said box and projecting through said apertures,

said drum being provided with a drumhead, and an electrically-operated hammer for actuating said drumhead so as to cause said drum to sound.

2. The combination of a sounding-box, a sonorous member mounted therein and supported upon brackets so as to avoid direct engagement with said sounding-box, and an electricallyoperated hammer for causing said sonorous body to sound.

3. The combination of a sounding-box, brackets mounted therein, a drum supported upon said brackets so as to avoid direct enagement with said sounding-box, a hammer or causing said drum to sound, an armature connected with said hammer, and a magnetic member for attracting and releasing said armature.

4. In a telegraph instrument, the combination of a drum provided with a drumhead, a yoke disposed adjacent to said drum, a dolly engaging said drum, means for adjusting said dolly relatively to said yoke, a screw mounted within said yoke, an anvil mounted upon said drumhead, a hammer provided with-portions adapted to strike said screw and also to strike said anvil, an armature connected with said hammer, and an electrically-operated member for attracting and releasing said armature.

5. The combination of an electromagnet,

a movable armature therefor, a spring connected with said armature, a spring-bow connected with said spring and adapted to bend, and means for conferring greater or lesser tension upon said spring-bow at the will of the operator.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of an electromagnet, a movable armature therefor, a spring-bow, a connection from said armature to said springbow, and means for tensioning said springbow.

7. The combination of a drumhead, means for supporting the same, an armature. lever provided with a portion for striking said drumhead, electrically-operated mechanism for actuating said armature-lever, a dolly connected with said drumhead, a vibratory member serving as a sounding-box, and I with a drumhead, electrically-operated mech- I 5 means for connecting said dolly with said vibratory member.

8. The combination of a drumhead, means for supporting the same, an armaturelever provided with a portion for striking said drumhead, electrically-operated mechanism for actuating said armature-lever, a dolly connected with said drumhead, a vibratory member serving as a sounding-box, and means controllable at will for adjusting the tension between said vibratory member, said dolly and said drumhead.

9. The combination of a drum provided anism for striking said drumhead, a vibratory member disposed adjacent to said drumhead, and means for connecting said drumhead with said vibratory member for causing the latter to vibrate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH H. KIDN Y.

Witnesses:

OHAs. E. FAULKNER, GEORGE W. RHEA. 

